List of Famous people born in Waikato Region, New Zealand
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was New Zealand's fifth-longest-serving prime minister, and the second woman to hold that office.
Oliver Leydon-Davis
Oliver Leydon-Davis is a New Zealand badminton player. He won the Oceania Championships title in the mixed doubles in 2014, and in the men's doubles in 2020.
Ross Ardern
David Ross Ardern is a New Zealand diplomat and former police officer. He is currently the Administrator of Tokelau, having previously served as the High Commissioner of New Zealand to Niue from 2014 to 2018, and as Niue's police commissioner from 2005 to 2009.
Peter Latham
Peter David Latham was a cycling competitor for New Zealand. He competed in the team pursuit at the 2004 Summer Olympics, where New Zealand finished tenth. In 2005 Latham won the bronze medal in the Under 23 Individual Time Trial at the Road World Championships in Madrid. He competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where along with Tim Gudsell, Hayden Godfrey and Marc Ryan he won a bronze medal in the Team pursuit.
Julian Dean
Julian Dean is a former professional road racing cyclist from New Zealand who competed as a professional between 1999 and 2013. He last rode for UCI World Tour team Orica–GreenEDGE, where he now works as an assistant sporting director and mentor. His main achievements include winning the 2007 and 2008 New Zealand National Road Race Championships, finishing 9th in the 2005 World Road Championships in Madrid, and 10th place in the 2002 World Road Championships in Zolder. At the peak of his career he was considered the best lead out rider in the world, and was highly regarded by his teammate and friend Thor Hushovd.
Madeleine Stapleton
Kaytee Boyd
Kaytee Boyd is a New Zealand track and road cyclist.
Ross Norman
Ross William Norman is a former professional squash player from New Zealand. He is best remembered for winning the World Open in 1986, when he beat Jahangir Khan of Pakistan in the final 9-5, 9-7, 7-9, 9-1. The win marked the end of an unbeaten run for Khan that had stretched for over five years. Norman had been ranked the World No. 2 behind Khan for some time going into the match, but despite a single-minded determination to end his unbeaten run had been unable to end the total dominance that the Pakistani had held over the game. Norman had vowed: "One day Jahangir will be slightly off his game and I will get him." That day finally came in the final of squash's biggest tournament, which was held that year in Toulouse, France.
Patrick Bevin
Patrick "Paddy" Bevin is a New Zealand professional road racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Israel Start-Up Nation.
Keith Robinson
Keith John Robinson is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. His usual position is at lock. He was first selected for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks in 2002. His career was plagued by injury, and he was selected into the 2006 All Blacks after making a remarkable comeback from a serious back injury. He last played against the Pacific Islanders in 2004 before making a comeback in the 2006 Autumn internationals. He made his Test debut on the All Blacks end-of-year tour in 2002 but, after three Tests, had to wait another 18 months to be recalled by Graham Henry for the Tri-Nations Tests in 2004. Robinson made a surprise return to Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup side in September 2006. In October 2007 he announced he was retiring from all rugby at the age of only 30. He cited his recurring left knee injury as the reason for his retirement.